Crush Alert

by Annie Bryant

Antacids, lemon juice, seltzer water, household ammonia…and anything else you want to try!

  Directions:

  Ask an adult for help to chop, grate, or blend the cabbage into very small pieces.

  Place the cut up pieces in a pitcher and cover just to the top of the cabbage with very hot tap water.

  Wait at least fifteen minutes for the water to turn pinkish purple. (The longer you wait, the stronger your cabbage juice will be.)

  Pour some of the juice through the coffee filter into a plastic cup (or beaker).

  Add a teaspoon of baking soda…then watch what happens!

  Next, add some vinegar. Can you turn the juice pink again?

  Get out some more plastic cups and experiment with the rest of the juice and any “extra credit” ingredients you have at home. How many different colors can you make?

  Clean up!

  The Facts:

  Red cabbage juice contains flavin, a special kind of pigment molecule that changes color depending on the pH of the liquid. Vinegar is acidic, and baking soda is the opposite: a base. You can actually use cabbage juice to measure the pH of different chemicals using a color scale like this:

  Color

  pH

  Red

  2

  acid

  Purple

  4

  Violet

  6

  Blue-Violet

  7

  neutral

  Blue

  8

  Blue-Green

  10

  Greenish-Yellow

  12

  base

  Crush Alert trivialicious trivia

  Where is the new boy Trevor from? A. Hawaii

  B. California

  C. Florida

  D. Texas

  What kind of snack does Charlotte knock over at the newspaper meeting? A. Cheese Doodles

  B. Pretzels

  C. Chex Mix

  D. Barbecue potato chips

  What footwear does Maeve ruin in the soccer game? A. Pink boots with sparkly fur

  B. High-heeled black boots

  C. Pink-and-white-checked rain boots

  D. Soft pink leather loafers

  When Charlotte first discovers Marty’s illness, where does she find him? A. Out on her balcony

  B. In the bathroom

  C. Under her dad’s desk

  D. In Ms. Pierce’s apartment

  When Charlotte talks to her Dad about Nick, what show are they watching? A. A special about the Serengeti

  B. A documentary about Renaissance France

  C. A romantic comedy

  D. A discovery show about exploring the Great Barrier Reef

  What do you add to cabbage juice to make it froth with pink foam? A. Diet Coke

  B. Baking soda

  C. Vinegar

  D. Tums

  Which is NOT the title of a song that Riley writes in this book? A. “Furniture Boy”

  B. “Valentine Song”

  C. “You, You, You”

  D. “My Girl, My Star”

  What Valentine’s Day craft do Isabel and Kevin teach the kids at the homeless shelter? A. Crepe-paper flowers

  B. Pop-up Valentine’s Day cards

  C. Painted heart magnets

  D. Heart stamps cut out of potatoes

  What is the name of Ms. Pink’s boyfriend’s dog? A. Duke

  B. Brady

  C. Washington

  D. Rex

  What color dress does Charlotte wear to the dance? A. Light green

  B. Lilac purple

  C. Periwinkle blue

  D. Rose pink

  ANSWERS: 1. B. California 2. D. Barbecue potato chips 3. A. Pink boots with sparkly fur 4. C. Under her dad’s desk 5. A. A special about the Serengeti 6. C. Vinegar 7. D. “My Girl, My Star” 8. C. Painted heart magnets 9. B. Brady 10. B. Lilac purple

  Book Club Buzz

  10 QUESTIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS TO CHAT ABOUT

  Maeve pretends to be interested in sports to impress Dillon. Is it a good idea to change who you are just to get someone to like you? What should Maeve have done instead?

  Marty has to go to the vet because he’s “lovesick.” Have you ever accompanied a favorite pet to the vet? What happened there? Did your pet get better?

  Charlotte makes a top-ten list of things to do alone on Valentine’s Day. What would your list look like?

  Maeve makes a winning goal for her soccer team, but falls facefirst in the mud! How would you feel in her place? What was your most embarrassing sports moment ever?

  Charlotte finds Riley’s personal notebook full of lyrics he wrote. She decides not to read them, and gives it back without telling her friends. Was this a good decision? Have you ever discovered a secret you weren’t meant to know? Did you tell anyone or keep it to yourself?

  Katani asks Reggie to the dance, then talks Charlotte into asking Nick. The plan backfires, but what do you think of Katani’s reasons? Would you rather ask a boy to go to a dance with you or wait for him to ask you? Why?

  Isabel chooses to keep her promise to help out at a homeless shelter instead of going to the dance. Have you ever had to choose between two events happening at the same time? How did you make your decision?

  The Queens of Mean give Chelsea a hard time at the dance, but both Maeve and Trevor stand up to them. How does it make you feel if someone is picking on one of your friends? What if the victim is not a friend, just someone you know? Would you respond differently?

  Sophie assures Charlotte that it’s okay to tell to her friends about her first kiss. Do you think a moment like Nick and Charlotte’s is meant to be kept secret or shared with best friends?

  Charlotte and Avery both confide in their parents about boys. Have you ever talked to anyone in your family about a crush? What happened? How much do your parents or siblings know about who you like?

  Charlotte’s Word Nerd Dictionary

  BSG Words

  ginormous (p. 133) adjective—gigantic and humongous

  fantabulous (p. 137) adjective—fantastic and fabulous combined

  beauteous (p. 160) adjective—beautiful and gorgeous combined

  awesomest (p. 166) adjective—most awesome

  fabulosity (p. 170) noun—fabulousness

  fabuloso (p. 68) adjective—fabulous

  Spanish Words & Phrases

  maravilloso (p. 3)—marvelous

  abuelita (p. 108)—grandmother

  chica (p. 145)—girl

  muy bonita (p. 148)—very pretty

  mi hermana (p. 149)—my sister

  mi hija (p. 158)—my daughter

  que romantica! (p. 250)—how romantic!

  French Words & Phrases

  ma chere (p. 63)—my dear

  au revoir (p. 64)—good-bye

  bonjour (p. 67)—hello

  très magnifique (p. 67)—very wonderful

  mon amie (p. 67)—my friend

  bisous (p. 131)—kisses

  beaucoup de bisous (p. 131)—many kisses

  ma meilleure amie (p. 222)—my best friend

  ton amie (p. 222)—your friend

  Other Cool Words…

  commiserated (p. 9) verb—discussed and offered sympathy

  hypocritical (p. 30) adjective—supporting something one doesn’t really believe

  intimidating (p. 32) adjective—causing fear or a lack of courage

  sepia (p. 35) adjective—reddish-brown color

  emphasis (p. 38) noun—added importance

  feistiness (p. 51) noun—energy or spirit

  lethargic (p. 53) adjective—having slow and sleepy behavior

  reminisced (p. 61) verb—remembered

  figment (p. 82) noun—little piece

  sophisticated (p. 88) adjective—cultured, grown-up

  pact (p. 93) noun—promise

  phenomenon (p. 97) noun—an unusual or extraordinary event

  subtleties (p. 117) noun—fine differences that are hard to see

  pulverize
(p. 125) verb—to pound into dust

  terrarium (p. 130) noun—a glass cage for keeping small animals

  nonchalant (p. 186) adjective—unconcerned

  jubilant (p. 190) adjective—joyful

  vivacious (p. 200) adjective—full of life

  pristine (p. 233) adjective—perfectly neat and clean

  reclusive (p. 246) adjective—shy

  conspiratorially (p. 246) adverb—as if planning something together